


Changing Everything

by Sylaise (Auds_Dods)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: AU, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 21:41:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18432647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auds_Dods/pseuds/Sylaise
Summary: What if Lavellan wasn’t the Inquistor, but merely a cog in the Inquisition, a talented healer sent as an emissary by the Clan Lavellan? Would she still change everything?Ellana is the First in her clan, and, accompanied by her “apprentice,” a rogue named Maereth, is chosen to monitor and report on the Inquisition, and to prove that the Dalish care about working together with other races to close the tear in the heavens.Can she catch the notice of a rogue god, caught in his own private battle, and can she prove that this world is worth fighting for?





	Changing Everything

It wasn’t a hot day, but Ellana felt a bead of sweat trickle down the length of her spine. Whether it was nerves or the large bag of dried elfroot she was carrying, she couldn’t say. She breathed in deeply, and the cold stung her lungs, but refreshed her at the same time. A fresh wave of energy hit her right in the chest. With that came more anxiety. She shielded her eyes and looked over her shoulder. If she hadn’t know they were there, she likely would have missed them in the trees. Their bows weren’t drawn, but they were ready nonetheless, their eyes scanning ahead. With a huff of reluctance, Ellana returned to her trudge through the snow. This was her duty, as First, and she motioned to her one visible companion to follow. 

 

Maereth nodded, quickly coming to her side. The fort was in sight now, if you could call it that. They had passed the remains of the village, and the smell of charred flesh was still clinging to the back of Ellana’s throat. 

 

She held up a hand, halting their progress. Maereth stopped instantly, waiting for her to signal again. She could see humans below, what looked like Templars, clashing and fighting, preparing for something. Of course, news had spread. The survivor, whom some were beginning to call the Herald of Andraste, was the key to closing the tear in the Veil.

 

“This place is _setheneran_ ,” Maereth whispered, their voice a harsh ghost of a sound that was nearly lost on the breeze. 

 

“I haven’t seen any felandaris,” Ellana returned, then glanced at them askance. “But I can feel the vibration.”

 

Her companion repressed a shiver, but they had never been fond of the beyond. Ellana checked on their hidden guards one last time before she pressed forward, Maereth one step behind. At first, when they two emerged from the trees, they were largely unnoticed. Then, as Ellana expected, the training soldiers began to stop, to turn, to stare. A few weapons were drawn, but nothing was aimed at them. It took only mere moments before two shems— _humans_ —Ellana corrected, approached them. 

 

The woman was tall, elegant as she walked, hips swaying, hand on pommel. The man beside her was impossibly large, fur-trimmed cloak making him appear even larger. He stopped just slightly behind the other warrior, and Ellana took that to mean she was the superior of the two. Of course, she knew their names. She knew what their functions were in this growing, well, movement she supposed. She reminded herself to breathe. 

 

“I am Ellana Lavellan,” she said, keep her voice low, melodic and soothing. They were not a threat, and she prayed these humans understood that. “I’m here as First from clan Lavellan to offer our assistance to Haven and the people gathered here.” 

 

Cassandra looked between the two, not trusting. She narrowed her eyes, and not because of the glint from the sun. “You... _two_ ,” she paused, emphasizing the word, “are here to help?”

 

It did seem a bit strange, when put like that. Ellana nodded, her large eyes sparkling in the blinding sun. “I’m our clan’s most talented healer.” She said it plainly, and reached around to pat the large satchel on her back. “We’ve brought enough elfroot and other healing herbs to last our clan a month. I imagine it would help to bolster your supplies. If you have a healer, I would be happy to speak with them and see how we can best assist.”

 

“Out of the goodness of your hearts, is it?” Cullen didn’t sound angry when he spoke—more tired. Wary. 

 

“We were near when it happened.” Maereth’s voice was deep and still, like the rumble of summer thunder in the distance. 

 

Ellana pressed a hand to their shoulder, knowing their patience was much shorter than her own. “My apprentice speaks truth. We would have been here sooner, but we are a cautious people. We wanted to help, but did not know how. After much discussion, our Keeper has decided this is the best course of action.”

 

“He’s your apprentice?” Cullen sounded genuinely shocked. “But he looks to be ten years your senior.”

 

Ellana could sense the instant tension in her companion. “ _They_ are only a handful of winters older than I,” Ellana corrected, gently but firmly emphasizing the correct pronoun. “And they only realized seven seasons ago that they were drawn to healing.”

 

It was a partial truth. Maereth was interested in healing, yes, and had been studying with Ellana for the last two years, but they were a rogue, an assassin, and were to be Ellana’s protection. 

 

“May we see?” Cassandra asked, motioning at the bags both elves carried. Without hesitation, Ellana dropped her satchel and opened it. There were bricks of dried and packed elfroot, and Maereth revealed much the same, with a few other herbs and dried flowers. Cassandra’s eyebrows shot up.

 

“That is an impressive amount. Yes, I am certain our potions master, Adan, will be grateful for the help.”

 

Cullen, perhaps to make up for his faux pas earlier, stepped forward. “I will get you through the gates. Come, and I apologize for my earlier mistake.” This last he said, looking into Maereth’s eyes. The rogue nodded their acknowledgment, but said nothing. 

 

The lion-crested man led them past the crowds, many of who had begun their sparring again, and into Haven again. The large doors were open, but soldiers milled about everywhere. Cullen spoke a few words to a handful of ironclad warriors, and turned to the elves. “You’ll be unharassed while you’re here. Our potions master, Adan, as Cassandra said, is in the back. To the right of the Chantry.” As he turned to leave them to it, he paused, and looked back. “I’m Cullen Rutherford, and I apologize again for not introducing myself before.”

 

With a polite nod of his head, he turned and was a gone. Ellana watched him go for only a moment, then made eye contact with Maereth. They nodded once, and followed Ellana’s lead as she made her way through the sea of humans. There was some muttering, stares at the blood writing on their faces, but mostly the quicklings kept their distance. 

 

There was that panicking sensation in her chest again. She never felt comfortable near the Chantry. It was just a matter of meeting a particularly ardent worshipper before she was accused of being an apostate. The relief that hit Ellana in the gut was palpable when she saw another elf. No, he didn’t have a vallaslin, but his broad shoulders and height let her know he was no city elf. 

 

He was aware of her gaze, sensing it. His eyes, a piercing blue, met hers, and she could immediately see the curiosity that sparked. She adjusted her path, aiming for him. She stopped a few feet short of him, and inclined her head respectfully. 

 

“Hello,” she tried, almost tripping over the elvhen that nearly spilled from her lips. It was rude to assume that every elf she met spoke their language, so she would wait to see. “Would you be kind enough to direct my friend and I to the potions master?”

 

“Adan,” Maereth supplied, the gruff sound emanating from somewhere in their chest. 

 

“Ah, yes,” the elf said, his voice deep, regal. Oddly, it made Ellana’s toes curl in delight, an embarrassment given their lack of footwear. Maereth would notice. “Master Adan works from that cabin,” he continued, looking behind her. Ellana glanced over her shoulder to spot the cabin. Hard to miss. Only a few feet away. 

 

“Thank you,” Ellana said, a smile dimpling one of her cheeks. At his nod, the two turned together and knocked upon the door. 

 

A voice, not tempered by patience, answered. “Whatever Maker-damned person that is better be bringing the supplies I ordered, and not suffering another self-inflicted injury—and yes, training counts as self-inflicted!”

 

“Well,” Ellana said, raising her voice to be heard through the door, “we have two satchels of healing herbs, dried and ready to be brewed into potions.” 

 

It sounded like something slammed closed, a tome, perhaps, and the door was abruptly thrust open. A man with more scruff than beard opened the door, eyes wide beneath bushy brows. “Dalish!” he exclaimed, truly surprised. That was better than knife-ear, Ellana supposed. 

 

Needless to say, Adan was grateful for the help. He set them to work, and as they were unloading the dried herbs, brick by brick, the potions master appraised them. 

 

“I’m surprised to see the Dalish actually taking an interest in human affairs.” 

 

He hadn’t said much, up to that point, other than to give out orders. He clearly didn’t mean it to be an insult, but Ellana could almost feel Maereth tense beside her. The sun was beating down upon them heavily, where they were working on a table Adan had set up out front. It warmed the air nicely, giving the icy atmosphere a golden feel. 

 

“While the hole in the Veil concerns all peoples,” Ellana said, gently, “we are hoping to break some of the stereotypes surrounding the Dalish.” She wiped her brow on the back of her arm, smiling over at Adan to keep the tone friendly. “We all share this one realm. It makes sense to work together for a greater good, doesn’t it?”

 

She couldn’t help her eyes sliding to the mysterious elf just a few feet away. His back was to them, so she felt free to examine him at leisure as she worked. His hair was shorn, close to the scalp, which, to her, seemed to emphasize his handsome features. Of course, it could just be the mystery of a non-Dalish, non-city elf. That wasn’t why she was here, however, so she quickly returned her focus. 

 

“I agree,” he said after a moment. “If only more Dalish did!”

 

Well. She had tried. She said nothing, and, as the silence lingered, the human mage paused his own work of hanging embrium. “...I can see how that sounds, and I apologize. I don’t mean that elves—what I mean to say is—well, I know, the past—well, dammit, I’m trying to say that elves have a good reason to want nothing to do with us.”

 

Ellana smiled, and inclined her head, fingers deftly separating bricks of elfroot. “Yes, but we hope to put such things behind, if we can. Someone must make the first gesture, and we need to look to the future.”

 

They fell into silence. After the herbs had all been sorted, separated and properly stored, they used the remaining sunlight to prepare a few potions. 

 

“Are you staying?” Adan asked as the dusk chill swept away the remaining warm glow of day. “I can get a cabin for the two of you, maybe. I was using the one there,” he waved at the buidlikg to the right, directly across from the one the tall elf had disappeared into. “But I can move into here with my work.”

 

Maereth looked at Ellana. She nodded once, and they snorted softly. Ignoring them, Ellana produced her dimpled smile yet again. “Yes, we shall stay. For a few days, perhaps longer. Our clan plans to leave the area in two weeks, so we will rendezvous then.”

 

Adan sighed in relief. “Thank the Maker. This,” he said, waving gruffly at the pots and piles of herbs, “is not my forte.” 

 

He saw them settled into their cabin, and vaniseed. Maereth sighed heavily as they unrolled the small bundle they carried beneath their satchel. They wrote something onto a scroll so tiny it might as well have been a blade of grass, and slipped out the window facing the Chantry hall. They were going to release a small bird, which would inform the Clan of their expected departure. 

 

It had been a long day. Ellana expected tomorrow they would meet with the Spymaster, Leliana, and softly hoped to see the so-called Herald. Her hand glowed, she had heard. That would be quite the sight.

 

With such thoughts dancing behind her eyelids, she slipped into a light sleep, not bothering to wait for Maereth to return. She trusted them implicitly, as they did her. They’d see themselves to bed, and would waken her if they needed her. 

 

**xxx**

 

Solas sat before the hearth of his cabin, gazing at the flames as he prepared himself for a walk in the Fade. That young elven woman was fascinating, as was her clan. Wanting to work with humans, focusing on, what had she said? The greater good? Of course, it didn’t change anything, but it was...interesting, nonetheless. 

 

As he set the wards he always used before sleep, it occurred to him that he was going to enjoy the coming two weeks, if only to see more about this clan Lavellan. 


End file.
